Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in shellfishes from south coast of Korea

PCDDs and PCDFs were analyzed by high resolution GC-MS in two species of shellfish collected from southern coast of Korea. PCDDs and PCDFs were detected from all samples. Total concentration of PCDDs and PCDFs ranged from 4.4 to 19 pg/g wet weight and from 2.5 to 26 pg/g wet weight, respectively. By using a method of cluster analysis based on congener profiles, samples were categorized into two groups, "the urban group" and "the rural group". A tendency that TEQ levels of the urban group were higher than those of the other group was observed Although a reliable source of dioxins in the samples was identified in this study, it was suggested that combustion sources are responsible for occurrence of dioxins in samples of both groups. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.